Refrigeration.



2. L. MERRILL.

REFRIGERATION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 23| 9K0.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

lg-mm INVENTOR Q wzw.

@TATEdPATENT @FJWOE JOSIAH I. MERRILL, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL REFRIGERATION (30., A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

REFRIGERATION.

manner.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 19118.

Application filed December 23, 1910. Serial No. 598,998.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSIAH L. MERRILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny, State of a Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigeration, thefollowing being a full, clear, and exact disclosure of the one form ofmy invention which I at present deem preferable.

For a detailed description of the present form of my invention,reference may be had to the following specification, which is explaineddiagrammatically in the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to a system of refrigeration of the absorptiontype, one fea: ture of myinvention being an arrangement whereby thegenerator may be also used as a cooler, the construction being such thatthe generator flues which serve at one time as fire tubes may be used atanother time as cooling tubes. The invention also comprises the severalfeatures hereinafter described and claimed.

Turning to the drawings, A represents the generator consisting of acylindrical steel tank having at each end two heads with a space betweenthem. At each-end is a concave head a and a flat head (1 the formerbeing securely welded to the cylindrical shell. Between the heads a anda is formed a space, and the respective spaces at the opposite ends ofthe generator are interconnected by one or more return flues or tubes P.These fines form externally a radiating surface extending through theliquid contained in generator A for transmitting thereto the heat fromthe gases which are burned in the fire tube 0. The fire tube 0 is openat its rear to a gasolene burner R which is heated. in the usual way bygasolene burned in the pan S to start the burner as in an ordinary blowtorch. Any form of burner using natural gas, gasolene, kerosene, alcoholor even powdered coal may be used for the burner R. The flame from theburner B is drawn through the pipe or flue O 'into the space at theright of the generator between the two heads a and a and thence passesback through the return flues P to the chimney flue T. The generator Abeing supplied with a suitable liquid such as ammonia, the vaportherefrom Wlll be driven ofi by the heat and passes first through thesteam separator W, which makes one turn in the condensing tank G and isinclined so that any water vapor carried from the generator by theammonia vapor is condensed in the separator W and runs back into thegenerator. The check valve G allows the free passage of the ammoniavapor from the separator into the condenser coil X, the condenser tank 0bein filled with water from the supply pipe From the condensing coil Xthe ammonia flows into the receiver B o long as the pressure in thegenerator A i higher than that of the re ceiver B. The aforesaid checkvalve G will prevent any return of the ammonia vapor from the receiverback into the generator when the pressure in the generator drops belowthat of the receiver. In receiver B there is thus accumulated a chargeof liquid anhydrous ammonia, the gage glass N indicating the levelthereof. The receiver B acts as a storage tank for this anhydrousammonia until such time as it is to be used for refrigeration. Theperiod during which the generation takes place in the generator A isabout three hours out of the twenty-four. In this time a sufiicientamount of anhydrous ammonia is produced from the mixture of water andammonia in the generator and delivered into the receiver B to furnishrefrigeration for twenty hours, about one hour being used to cool thecharge of weak liquid remaining in the generator at the end of thegenerative action which has boiled the liquid to a point where it willreabsorb the ammonia. When the temperature of the weak liquor ingenerator A has dropped below 90 F. by the said cooling, which will behereinafter described in detail, the valve F in the pipe leading fromthe receiver B, which had been closed at the end of the boiling period,is opened and the anhydrous am- Inonia. passes up through the expansionvalve E into the refrigerating brine tank D.

nected with the space between the heads a and a at the right hand end ofthe generator by means of a check valve N which allows a free flowdownward but prevents a flow upward into the said space. The pipe Q},after its connection to check valve N, passes to the left and isconnected to a vertical waste pipe Q leading from space A and providedwith a valve I. The operating shaft of the valve I extends to the leftand carries also the gas valve J, so that the turning of the gas valveto its open position also opens the valve I. On the common shaft ofthese valves I and J is a spring S which tends to close the valve but isrestrained by means of a projection M held by a latch L under-thecontrol of a pressure device K which communicates with the inte rior ofthe generator A.

Leading downwardly from flue O is a p1pe O which joins waste pipe Qbelow valve I, that portion of said waste pipe between said valve andthe point of union with p1pe O constituting a by-pass.

To start the operation the generator A will receive its charge ofammonia and water, the gas valve J and the water valve I will then bothbe opened and the burner R started. The generation of ammonia vapor inthe generator A, its separation from the water in the separator W andits condensation in the condenser coil A will proceed as abovedescribed. At the sa'me time the water from pipe Q will flow through thecondenser tank C and thence by the pipe Q to the valve I and through theby-pass portion of pipe Q into the waste. When the pressure in thegenerator due to the accumulated vapor rises to a predeterminedpoint-say 150 pounds-the pressure device K will withdraw the latch Lfrom the arm M and allow the spring S to close the valves J and I.Thereupon the water from the pipe Q will back up through the verticalpipe Q into the space between the two heads a and a at the left end ofthe generator until it reaches the level of the return tubes P. It willthen flow through those tubes into the space at the right end of thegenerator (the check valve N remaining closed bythe pressure beneath it)and thence flow through the fire tube 0 and by the pipe 0 into thewaste. When the generator has-thus cooled down to a temperature below 90F. the Valve F in the pipe leading from the receiver B will be openedand the anhydrous ammonia will pass through the expansion valve E andexert its refrigerating effect in the coil d. Thence it will flow backinto the generator and be reabsorbed by the weak and exhausted liquidtherein, entering the generator by the per forated pipe Z. Thisreabsorption will continue during the eighteen hour period ofrefrigeration, at the end of which the liquor in the tank A will havereceived sufiicient ammonia for a repetition of the process abovedescribed which will be initiated by opening the gas valve J and thewater valve I, the former valve allowing the gas to reach the burner Rand be ignited there, and the latter valve allowing the cooling water todrain from the spaces in the ends of the generator through the pipe Q atthe left and the check valve N at the right. By the arrangement abovedescribed the generator not only serves its ordinary generating functionbut also serves as a cooler for reducing the temperature of the liquorcontained therein. The operation is also automatic, it being necessaryto start the apparatus once a day and then at the expiration of thegenerating. period it willautomatically throw itself out of action as agenerator and continue to act as a cooler during the refrigcratingperiod, the refrigeration being started by turning the valve F after thegenerator has been cooled down to the proper temperature.

The valve E is constructed with a diverging nozzle of the typeordinarily employed for converting pressure into velocity. The result ofthis is to throw the cooling effect away from the valve E along the pipe03 by reason of the local velocity of the refrigerant beyond the saidvalve and the refrigerator. This serves to protect the valve E and toconcentrate the cooling effect upon the refrigerating coil in the brinetank.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In 'a refrigerating system, a. generator provided with flues sultablefor the conduction of combustion gases, meansfor supplying said gases,means for supplying water 106 to said flues, and means controlled by thepressure within said generator for automatically effecting the shuttingoff the flow of gas and the turning on the flow of water to said tubes.110

2. In a refrigerating system, a generator provided with radiator fluesand chambers connected by said flues, means for introducing combustiongases into said flues, means for supplying a cooling medium to saidflues, and means controlled by the pressure within said generator '7 forautomatically effecting the shutting off the flow of said gases and theturning on a flow of cooling medium through said flues.

3. In a refrigerating system, a generator, means for heating the same, awater cooling system normally in circuit with said generator andincluding a by-pass, a valve controlling said by-pass, and means forautomatically moving said valve to close said bypass to cause the waterto flow through said generator.

4. In a refrigerating system, a generator for containing ammonia orsimilar substances and provided with a chamber for a cooling medium,heating fines for the generator, a heating medium for said flues,

means for supplying a cooling medium to said cooling chamber throughsaid heating fines, and means controlled by the pressure in saidgenerator for automatically effecting the shut off of the heating mediumand the simultaneous turning on of the cooling medium.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus, a generator provided with closedchambers at each end, said generator containing flues connecting saidchambers, a water pipe and means for establishing communication betweensaid pipe and said flues.

' 6. In a refrigerating system, a generator, means for heating the same,a water pipe leading to said generator, a waste pipe for carrying of]?water passing through said generator, a by-pass between said water pipeand said waste pipe, and means for closing said by-pass, to cause thewater to flow to said generator.

7 In a refrigerating system, a generator, means for heating the same, awater pipe leading to said generator, a waste pipe for carrying offwater passing through said generator, a bypass between said water pipeand said waste pipe, a valve in said by-pass, means acting on said valvetending to close the same, means for locking the said valve in its openposition, and means for releasing said valve from its locking means.

8. In a refrigerating system, the combination with a generator, ofheating devices therefor, a water pipe having two branches, onecommunicating with the said generator and the other with the waste, avalve in said waste branch, and an outlet pipe leading from thegenerator to the waste pipe at a point beyond the said valve.

9. In a refrigerating system, a generator having a central chamber forthe refrigerating material and two end chambers, heating fluesconnecting said end chambers, and means for admitting a cooling mediumto said fines and end chambers.

10. In a refrigerating system, a generator provided with heating flues,means for d1- recting a heating gas through sa1d fiues, a water pipecommunicating with said' lines, and a controlling valve for directingcooling water through the said flues.

11. In a refrigerating system, the combination with a generator having acentral chamber for the refrigerating medium and independent endchambers, heating flues connecting with the end chambers, a water pipecommunicating with one of said end chambers directly and with the otherthrough a check valve, and an outlet water connection from said flues.

12. In a refrigerating system, the combination with a generator having achamber for the refrigerating medium, means for heating the generator, awater cooling pipe communicating with said generator, a valvecontrolling the said water cooling pipe, and a pressure device for saidvalve communieating with said chamber and adapted to operate the saidvalve by a predetermined pressure-in the generator.

13. In a refrigerating system, a generator havin two heads, one at eachend forming end chambers, a fire tube passing through the generator andopening into the chamber at one end, a return flue connecting the twoend chambers, an outlet flue communicating with the chamber at theopposite end, and means for admitting a cooling medium to the said firetube, flue and end chambers.

14. In a refrigerating system, the combination with a generator, meansfor supplying heated gases thereto, means for supplying a cooling mediumto said generator, and a common controlling device subjected to thepressure in said generator for simultaneously shutting off the heatingmeans from said generator and introducing the coolin medium thereto.

15. n a refrigerating system, the combination with a generator and meansfor heating the same, of a condensing tank provided with a coilcommunicating with and receiving vapor from said generator, a receiverfor condensed material into which said coil discharges, said receiverbeing located outside of said condensing tank, refrigerating devices,and a pipe between said receiver and refrigerating devices containing avalve having an outlet so shaped as to locally accelerate the speed offlow of the refrigerating fluid, whereby the cooling efiect is carriedaway from said valve and freezing of the same is prevented.

16. In a refrigerating system, the combination with a generator andmeans for heating the same, of a condensing tank provided with acoilcommunicating with and receiving the vapor from said generator, a

receiver for the condensed material into which said coil discharges,said receiver bein located outside of said condensing tank, rerigerating devices and a pipe between said receiver and refrigeratingdevices containing a valve provided with a diverging nozzle for locallyaccelerating the speed of fiow of the refrigerant between the receiverand refrigerating devices.

17. In a refrigerating system, a generator comprising a tank for ammoniaor similar substances, open flues suitable for combustion gasesextending through the interior of said tank from side to side, means forpassing combustion gases through said fines, a pipe communicating withthe interior of said tank for conducting 0d the vapor thereopposite endchamber, means for introducing combustion gases into the external end ofsaid fiue, a second flue passing through the interior of said tank andconnecting the two end chambers, and anoutlet flue leading from thechamber at the feeding end of the 15 generator;

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, before two subscribingWitnesses, this 12 day of Dec., 1910.

JOSIAH L. MERRILL.

Witnesses:

D. E. MITCHELL, R. E. GRAVES.

